fridge recommendations

[sdtripper2]

EdgeStar Portable Fridge / Freezer
43qt uP~Date

Well, I use mine based inside my Honda CRV's rear passenger side door area.

Mine too draws the 5.5 Amp-Hours:
I get about 2.8 to 3.5 days of 80 degree temps using my trailer deep cell battery. I get 5+ days when temps are 40 degrees or there abouts. Never did get a low battery when the temps were below zero to 60's at the first Glyphs gathering.

I did have to run heavy duty # 10 gauge 20amp fused wire direct from my battery as an extension as the internal thin wire of the pre~wired trailer wouldn't handle the initial surge the refrigerator takes.

I also have run #10 gauge wire under the Honda CRV to the rear seat area for the use of the refrigerator while on the road. The same problem of wire size wouldn't keep the unit going with the internal wiring.

Before I figured out that the Current Resistance Drop as related to the wire size and length was an issue I did have some gnashing of teeth.

All works fine now and I would recommend an indoor outdoor wireless temp sensor (Walmart) for monitoring the unit from say your car or inside your trailer or galley area. I have my refrig right now hooked uP to AC parked in the drive way ready for the next trip and have the monitor by my bed side as a precaution.

This is the Wireless Temp sensor I have Acurite Model 00782 I just pop the sensor into the top small basket of the refrig ... close the top and monitor the temps from uP to 30 yards away. The disadvantage to this unit is that it only senses down to 0 degrees f. So there are other units that are wireless that may be better for you. However I have my refrig set to 40 degrees f and so I am satisfied with my sensor.

[greg755]

Hey Steve

Thanks for the update.

I think I have 10 wire going from the car battery to the batteries in the Sierra for charging, but I cant remember what size wire and fuse go from there to the fridge outlet. So I will change them if I have to.

I got two batteries so I should have no problem camping off the grid for 4 days....

My first trip is May 15th so I will update you on how it goes.

[greg755]

Took out the the 56 on her maiden voyage this weekend to Delta Lake..

The edgestar worked perfectly. Plugged it into the trailer Thursday at around 1 pm (12 volt) and didn't unplug it until 12 pm Sunday.

It was great not to have to dig around in the water to find things, also since everything was in zip lock bags I didn't even have to clean it out....

I had 4 steaks, 2 lbs of hamburger, quart of milk, a 1/2 pint of cream, a pint of sour cream, 2 pounds of bacon, 12 eggs, pack of hot dogs, a Stouffers lasagana, 1/2 pound of butter, a lemon cream pie and a big tup of chicken coleslaw and I still had a lot of room left.

My wife put a tupperware container of Deviled Eggs in the other cooler with the drinks and sure enough it leaked and ruined the eggs.. Just made the Edgestar that much more appealing...

Now she is mad because she has to clean up the conventional cooler...

[sdtripper2]

Greg:

Glad to hear of your conformation and success of your edgestar fridge.
We both should tip our hats to the MadOne for his suggestion back uP the
stream when this thread was just starting. I am also glad I took advantage
of the after Christmas sale.

I know now that I can go at least a day on a car battery with mine and
most likely two with the car setting not charging. Never have pushed that
dog to that extreme, as I am usually just using that juice while traveling too
and from and away from camp. The deep cell in the trailer is good for 3
plus days with gust uP to 5 or better if the temps are low. The temps stay
within 2 degrees of the set temp and rock solid. Again the thickness of the
12 volt feed wire was and issue for me but all is well in the Southwest now.

The convenience of not having soggy food is a big plus.
Getting uniform Glad food storage boxes has made for easier pick and find
as well as cleanliness issues.

I still like to have a ice cooler for ale and coke for quick in and outs. But
now the fighting ice and water and leaky bags of cheese is a thing of the past.

I am totally pleased with my decision to go with edgestar.

[meta87]

Where did you guys order the 43 edgestar? I can only seem to locate the bigger ones. Thanks!

[sdtripper2]

Welcome to the forum Meta

Main EdgeStar website

Links courtesy Google for "EdgeStar Portable Fridge / Freezer 43qt"

Note:
Sometimes prices rise as the camping season arrives and more people are
thinking Fridge and Freezer.

My 43qt was about 400.00 on an after Christmas sale with Free Shipping.
I don't see the selection on the CompactAppliance.com that I once had so
maybe call them. The number is below. The only unit I saw on their site
now is 600.00 plus free shipping. But the site doesn't seem to have the
selection yet EdgeStar says they are the preferred retail vendor.

Thus I gave you the Google look ~ See (above) for you to search for
the best price.

This is where I bought mine:
EdgeStar's preferred retail vendor is CompactAppliance.com
CompactAppliance.com offers competitive pricing and ships to the lower 48
United States. You may visit their web site at CompactAppliance.com or
call them at 1-800-297-6076.

As a general rule Air conditioners and Fridge / Freezers seem to be
cheaper during the winter months from my experience on these websites.

[teardrop_focus]

I'd like to bump this thread for a possible 9-month update on the Edge Star's performance! I am this close --->||<--- to buying either this one or the Engel for at least 300 more.

Thanks!

[greg755]

I have run mine off of batteries (2) for 5 days with no problems.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it is heavy (add about 10 lbs in comparison of a normal cooler of the same size)and that the controls are at the bottom.
So I use two people to move it. and when I get to the campsite I take it out of the galley and set it on a table so I can keep an eyte on the display.

Its just a personal thing and does not hamper the performance.
I put all the meats/dairy etc in this and I still use a normal cooler for soda/beer, but then again I eat a lot and always bring a lot of extra food.

[iOpine]

We used our 43q Edgestar unit in freezer mode during our 3-week road trip to Alaska last summer. I mounted it in the back of the 4Runner (see pic) and made a 12-volt cable extension so I could hook it directly to the TD's battery when camped. Also used the 120 connection when possible.

Had no trouble keeping it at 0-5 degrees except on one sunny day when I forgot to plug it into the camper's battery while we were away for about 8 hours. The freezer temp had risen to 24 degrees, but the SUV had no trouble starting. I'm assuming the compressor just couldn't keep up as the voltage dropped. Also, I didn't bother changing out the wiring to the rear power port so that could have added to the issue. Fortunately the SUV started right up.

We rotated freezer bags 2 or 3 times a day from the freezer to a 24q ice chest -- kept our milk, sausage and eggs nice and cold and NO ICE!

This was a huge convenience. We bought a box of mini Dove Bars before we left and there were still a couple left over when we returned. Still frozen hard. I was also able to keep 26lbs of vacuum packed Halibut filets hard frozen all the way home. Another advantage - when not camping it sits in my office keeping drinks and snacks refrigerated. It's small, quiet and unobtrusive. The Engel is surely a better unit, but for the money this is great! http://www.compactappliance.com/FP430-C ... lt,pd.html

[greg755]

According to the instructions the cooler will shut off when the batery gets to low or in danger of not having enough charge to start your car.

So I think it ran for a couple of hours then shut down, which is why it went up to 24 degrees on you, yet left enough juice in the battery to start your car....

[sdtripper2]

I take it out of the galley and set it on a table so I can keep an eye on the display.

Greg ~ May I suggest getting one of those small indoor / outdoor remote sensing temp units? I got mine at Walmart. I keep the base unit right in my speedometer area while driving and the outdoor sensor inside the fridge. Oh IC I had made this suggestion before come to think about it. The Acu-Rite 00782 Wireless Thermometer is an economical method to monitor indoor and outdoor temperatures, and the small size fits well for me in the unintended solution of monitoring my 43Qt fridge. I especially like monitoring the base unit from the drivers seat and or from the galley area without having to man handle or otherwise see the fridge all the time.
Maybe two wireless sensorswould be to your liking?


While your camping You wouldn't have to muckle the fridge out of the car or wherever to read the outside reading but just monitor the easy to handle Wireless Thermometer base unit.

Again I ran a 10 gauge wire from my main battery in the car to by back seat area and the car battery will kick start the compressor IF your WIRE can handle the current surge needed at first draw down. This facilitates driving around with the fridge in the car very well. And I too usually connect to my trailers deep cell bat in camp, but don't worry if I have to be on the road traveling using the car bat and alternator.

I also use those car windshield silver thermal shades to cover my coolers to keep direct sun from baking the outside and that seems to work well in saving energy.

John ~ Pleased to hear of another success story with the use of the 43qt fridge. Although I usually use mine as a fridge alone your idea of freezer and bag swaps to totally cut out ice for other coolers is a thought I hadn't contemplated.

[greg755]

Hey Steve,
I do have one of those gadgets but at times it doesn't transmit to well.
In the beginning I checked the temp ALOT, now that I have been out with it several times I only look at it once or twice a day...
I also like it out side because every once in a while I use the flash freeze option. I mostly use it outside when we are using the Metz, as it takes up a lot of room inside..
On our last trip I went into town and got some ice cream so I used the FF to freeze it back up....

[sdtripper2]

Greg:

I do have an issue with the cigarette type male female connectors. I have to
be vigilant to make sure that they mate optimally. Sometimes I get an
intermittent connection at that junction and so I monitor mine closely.

I know there are other type connectors but haven't pursued that option yet.

Maybe a twist lock type connector would be better and give me more peace of mind?

[greg755]

Steve,
I have one twelve volt jack (cigerette lighter type) that would blow the fuse every once in a while no mater what I plugged into it. I dont know if I had the wires crossed or if it was defective internally and caused the short.

I wound up just replacing it and it worked fine.

The sell several connecters, just about any will work as long as you have bothe a male and female end.
You can remove the socket and replace it with the female end or just splice it in next to the socket and leave it hanging there, and then do the came thing with the male end of you coolers plug...
I have used this method to connect my battery buddy so I dont have to open the hood to connect the terminals....

[astrotrailer]

All these refrigerator threads lately have motivated me to purchase
a good fridge for the trailer before the warm weather astronomy trips
start. So it is time for a little economic stimulus....

I ordered an Engel MT45 for the trailer. I paid $729 shipped and
hope to see it soon. I've got a 130 amp hour battery and 160 watts
of solar on the roof so I thought it was a good to get a lot more use out
of those excess photons. It will be nice not having to drive back out from
remote areas to buy ice on longer trips. I won't have soggy sandwiches
from the melting ice water.